


Darlin'

by mightypocketcow



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Bones x Reader - Freeform, F/M, cousin kirk, joanna is talked about, no CW or deaths i promise, takes place in star trek into darkness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26259772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mightypocketcow/pseuds/mightypocketcow
Summary: When Y/N decides that the best way to save the ship is to realign the Warp Core herself, Leonard has several issues with this idea.  Unfortunately for everybody, Y/N doesn't listen.
Relationships: Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 64





	Darlin'

“What the hell are you doing?!”

The aggravated voice behind me is all too familiar, and I don’t have to turn around to see who it is.

“I’m saving the ass of everyone on this ship, Leonard. What does it look like I’m doing?”

“It looks like you’re trying to get yourself killed!” He grabs my arm, pulling me away from the panel next to the door.

“Oh, well, yeah, I guess that’s what I’m doing.” I reply sarcastically, yanking my arm back. “You can’t stop me.” I punch in the code as fast as I can.

“The hell I can’t!” He yells, grabbing my arm again before I can finish. “I’m the Chief Medical Officer on this ship, and your superior. I have every right and power to stop you. And dammit, darlin’, I will use it.”

“I’d rather you fire me for insubordination than lose the people I love the most. Especially you.”

His eyes widen and his grip on my arm loosens in surprise just enough for me to pull away and finish the code, almost launching myself over the doorframe and shutting it behind me quickly. I can see the shock and hurt in his eyes as I look out the window of the door. He bangs on it with his fists, and though I can’t hear him at all, I can see that he is yelling.

I smile at him sadly, trying not to let him see the tears forming in my eyes, and out loud I say, “I’m sorry”, even though I’m sure he can’t hear me either. I turn away before I can change my mind at the heartbreaking look on his face, and dash towards the failing warp core …

I can see him pleading with me through his actions and expressions to turn on the comm above me, and I finally use what’s left of my physical energy to press the button from my position on the floor as the decontamination process continues.

“Y/N…” He starts, and his voice is breaking. I look at him as if for the first time, almost feeling puzzled by his tone, and I realize finally that his face is covered in tears.

“…Leonard… is… is the ship…?”

“We’re out of danger.” He gives me a ghost of a smile. “You did it.”

I smile back, or at least I try to. I don’t know whether or not I succeed because I can’t feel my face.

“Y/N…” He starts again. “Y/N, I’m so sorry.”

“For… what?” I sputter. “Did you… schedule… me with… Anderson again?”

He chuckles, more tears streaming down his cheeks. “Yes, that too, I’m sorry for that.”

“You… are toast, Leonard McCoy… I’m going… to skin you… like a...”

“I’m sorry that I never told you the truth, Y/N.” He bluntly interrupts me.

I blink, trying to think of a truth I needed to hear. Nothing comes to mind, so I fall back to sarcasm. “You knew… my father?”

He sighs, shaking his head with another sad grin. “No, not that truth.”

I attempt to fake a gasp. “You… are my… father?”

He makes a face, chuckling. “Hell no.”

“Good… that would… be awkward…” 

“Not to mention immoral.”

“Yeah… you’re not… that old, Leonard…”

“I meant because I’m in love with you, darlin’.”

With the radiation coursing through me and the fact that there may or may not be a tiny sparkly unicorn in my field of vision, I’m quite sure I’ve hallucinated what he said. “What?”

“I’m in love with you, Y/N. I have been forever. Ever since our third year in the academy, when you dragged me on an impromptu trip to see Jo…”

I try to smile again, and I think I’m crying but I can’t be certain. “That’s when… I fell for you… too…”

He lets out a choked sob, and I try to look at his face again. His beautiful brown eyes are swimming in tears and his face is red. But he’s still the most gorgeous man I’ve ever met. “I’m sorry I never told you, darlin’… I’m sorry.”

“Hey… I never… told you either… but you’re… telling me now…”

“I love you, Y/N. I love you so much.”

“Leonard…”

I try to respond, to tell him I love him too, but the words are gone as everything goes black.

* * *

My eyes shoot open and I’m greeted by a sea of white. At first it’s all a blur, and I can’t distinguish anything. I blink again, and I allow myself to cautiously look around. 

The first thing that catches my eye is the screen above me to my right showing my vitals, but the CMO sleeping on his arms on the side of my bed doesn’t deter me from the thought that this might be heaven.

“Leonard?” I choke out.

My voice is hoarse and raspy, and it sounds heavily damaged, but it’s enough to wake the man who’s always been a light sleeper.

He looks at me, and he smiles, looking relieved and happy. “Y/N.”

The sound of his voice, and the slight wave of pain I suddenly feel from the I.V. in my arm obnoxiously jolts me into reality, and for a moment I panic. “Are we still out of danger, Leonard?”

His eyes fill with soft tears, and he smiles again. “Yeah. Yeah, we are. We’re in Yorktown. We’re safe, Y/N.”

“What happened?”

“Khan’s blood.” He replies, and even in my drugged state I can piece it together.

“You injected me with the blood of a superhuman psychopath to bring me back to life?” I try to laugh but it comes out in coughs. “That’s cheating.”

He smirks. “Don’t be so dramatic, darlin’. You were barely dead. But do let me know if you start feeling homicidal or whatever.”

“You mean more so than usual?”

He laughs, and even though I don’t remember any part of being unconscious or dead, I feel a deep sense of having missed the sound. “I mean to someone other than Jim.”

I try to laugh again – the thought that I would ever want to murder someone other than my annoying cousin Jim Kirk is entertaining – but the coughing that follows turns into a small fit. Leonard leans over to gently push me back into the bed as I try to sit up. “Hey, hey, don’t hurt yourself darlin’.”

I look over at his face, concern plastered all over it. I remember the conversation that took place just before the world went dark, but I still don’t know if it was real or not. But hell… I did just die. “You know, Leonard, I’ve always loved it when you call me that.”

He grins. “I know, that’s why I did it. But now I guess I know why.” He lifts my hand in his to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to my knuckles. 

“Leonard…” I feel the fluttering of my soul that I always feel when I embrace him, or have his hand, or when he holds me… but it’s never been so strong. 

“It’s time to sleep again, darlin’.” He stands up and grabs a hypo from a table that I didn’t see before, and he gently releases it into my I.V. and I feel it already kicking in. 

A small part of me panics at the prospect of sleeping again, the possibility that this could all fade or that this could be a dream, and I react with humour before I can stop myself. “Len…” I use the nickname teasingly, and he raises an eyebrow at me. “Kiss me like a real man.” I pucker my lips, trying not to smile.

He chuckles. “Not here, Y/N. When you get out.”

Now I understand that he means it, and I pout at his words. “It better be super special then. I’ve been imagining it for years.”

“So have I, sweetheart.”

My soul flutters again, but before I can say anything else I drift off… 

* * *

“So, Leonard.” I pick at the soft food in front of me, trying not to show my disgust and dismay at being unallowed to eat real food yet. “When are you going to tell Joanna we’re together?” 

“Well…” He starts. “I was actually thinking that we could go visit her.”

“We’re in Yorktown, Len.” 

“I know, but Jim’s given the whole crew some extended leave while the ship is in for repairs, and your leave is probably going to be even longer than the rest. We could get a ride back to Earth.”

I jump on the idea immediately. “Oh, hell yes, let’s go see Jo!”

He laughs, a genuine throwing-his-head-back laugh, and he smiles lovingly at me. I realize with a skip of my heartbeat that the way he’s looking at me is not very different from the way he’s looked at me for years. “I’m glad you’re excited about it, darlin’.”

“I’m so excited, Leonard, we haven’t seen Jo in years and I really miss her.”

“Alright, we can ask around the shipyard for someone who’s going back to Earth…” He smirks at me. “Once your attending physician says you can leave your room.”

I pout at him again. “I’ve been in here for two days, Len. Can’t I go outside yet?”

He laughs. “Yes, of course you can. You’re being released this afternoon.”

I yell in surprise. “Today?!”

“Yes, darlin’, today.”

“Hooray!” I throw my hands up in the air, but a dull pain shoots through them both. “Ow…”

He sighs in exasperation, reaching out to bring my arms back down. “Don’t do that, Y/N. Your muscles are still recovering.”

* * *

“Really? You’ll take us?” I ask happily, and the captain in front of me smiles gently as he nods. “I have to tell Leonard!”

I turn from him to try to find Leonard, and as I rush off I remember to turn again and yell my thanks to the captain, who only shakes his head with a smile and raises his hand in acknowledgement.

“Len!” I yell, taking care not to go faster than my recovering body will allow. “Len!” I bump into a body before I know it, however, but thankfully the person catches me before I fall over.

“Whoa, slow down there cutie. You just died, don’t exert yourself.” I realize who the voice is by the tone in which he calls me ‘cutie’, and I look up to see the blue eyes of my favourite Starfleet Captain cousin.

“Jim!” I squeal, and I throw my arms around him. He chuckles, returning the hug. “Jim, I’ve missed you.” As the embrace releases, I look up at him. “Why didn’t you come see me?”

“I only just got released myself, Y/N.” 

“What? Leonard never told me you were in recovery too.”

“Yeah, well…” He fidgets nervously. “Someone had to knock Khan unconscious to get his blood, y’know?”

I’m baffled by this. “How did you stun Khan? Wouldn’t he be more resistant to it?”

“I uh…” He bites his lip. “I didn’t.”

“Well then how did you…?”

“He beat the shit out of Khan with his bare hands.” Leonard suddenly appears behind me, his hand finding the small of my back gently.

“What?!” I screech, and I can see Jim cowering away from me. Seeing as I am two years older than him, he has grown up knowing that I get quite angry when he puts himself in danger. “James Tiberius, what were you thinking?! You don’t have the advanced hand-to-hand training to be able to realistically take on someone of that skill level! You could have gotten yourself killed!”

“Relax, darlin’, he wasn’t alone. Spock was with him.” Leonard attempts to soothe me, his hand running up my back. It almost works.

“Yeah!” Jim pipes up, sounding grateful for the lifeline. “We beat the shit out of him together.”

“Jim, that’s not the point. I don’t want to have to be the one to tell Aunt Winnie that her baby is gone… You agreed to be less brash and reckless when you joined Starfleet. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

He cringes. “I know, Y/N. I’m sorry. I’ll try to be a bit more cautious.”

“Thank you.” I sigh. “I just hate worrying about you so much, Jim. You know you mean the world to me, as much as you drive me insane.”

“Careful…” Jim replies teasingly. “Your boyfriend is going to think I’m the most important man in your life and not him.”

“Boyfriend?” I repeat incredulously, looking up at Leonard. 

Leonard’s face is redder than the security personnel shirts, and Jim gives an awkward cough as he excuses himself. “Uh…”

I grin at him. “Boyfriend?” I say again, turning to face him completely, resting my hand on his chest.

“I mean… well, I’d like to be, if you’re okay with it, I just got excited when I was talking to Jim, and I –”

I cut him off by reaching up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “There’s nothing I’d want more, Leonard.”

He smiles at me, and his eyes light up. “Really, darlin’? You’re saying you want to be my girl?”

“Absolutely.”

He leans down and meets my lips with his, reaching up the hand that isn’t on my back to cup my cheek, stepping forward slightly to press our bodies close, and I feel the fluttering feeling again.

I’m so entranced by the feeling of this long-awaited kiss, this entanglement of souls, this end of the years of mutual pining, that I almost miss the sound of Jim whooping from a distance.

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea kicking around for a while but it wasn't completed until very recently. My first time actually writing Bones/Reader despite how much of that content I consume on the frequent!!
> 
> Thanks for reading! Be safe and healthy, and have a great day!


End file.
